


we could make it, you and i

by nevernevergirl



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-04
Updated: 2013-12-04
Packaged: 2018-01-03 11:25:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1069909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nevernevergirl/pseuds/nevernevergirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All some people have is the back seat of a car-- Emma raises Henry. It terrifies her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	we could make it, you and i

Emma had never been so scared in her life. Not when her foster brother couldn't be stopped with a 'no,' not when a cop showed up at their meeting spot instead of Neal, not day after day in Tallahassee as she began to realize she might never see him again.

They were in the middle of nowhere Virginia, it was snowing, and she couldn't afford a motel if she wanted to make sure she had enough to feed her kid until she managed to find a job. She'd thought about leaving Florida just long enough before they did to save up enough for a deposit at a new place, but not long enough to think much about the getting there part.

She'd fucked up. She'd fucked up, and now her two year old had to spend the night in the backseat of the car in the middle of a fucking ice age because she couldn't stand spending another night in Talla-fucking-hassee. 

Henry seemed okay, or maybe he was just too little to notice something wrong. He'd been tired enough from the long hours in the car that he'd just nodded sleepily against her shoulder, fiddling with the toy from his Happy Meal, as she'd coaxed him into the thick hoodie she'd managed to find half off at Wal Mart. 

He was snuggled tightly against her now, wrapped tight in blankets and one of Emma's jackets. His soft little baby breath was warm against her neck, and his little fist held on to her shirt tightly, and she loved him so much.

This wasn't good enough. She was trying her best, and it wasn't good enough, and that was terrifying.

She let herself cry, just a little. She promised herself she wouldn't cry over a lot of things-- shitty foster families, her too-absent-to-be-shitty actual family, Henry's absent-and-shitty father-- but being in her car, with a toddler and barely enough money for fuck know how long? Yeah. Just a little cry.

"Mama?" Henry wriggled just barely against her, frowning just slightly as he opened his eyes. Emma took a deep breath, kissing the top of his head.

"Hey, buddy," she murmured. "What's wrong? Are you cold?"

Henry shook his head, reaching his little hand up and pressing his palm flat against her face.

"Why cry, Mama?" he mumbled, his tiny features flooding with as much distress as a toddler could muster."Sad?"

"I'm fine, baby," she said, softly, forcing a small smile."Mama's just tired."

"Sleep," he said, firmly, giving her a Look. She laughed a little.

"That's my smart boy," she murmured. "You're right, I should sleep. And so should you," she raised her eyebrows.

"Kay," he nodded, patting her cheek sleepily. "No sad," he said, sternly.

"No sad," she echoed. He smiled, satisfied, burying his face back against her neck.

"No sad," he repeated, mumbling. "I make better."

"Yeah, kid," she mumbled. "You do."


End file.
